Figure 3. Labor share trends before and after recessions, six most recent recessions: labor share (percent)
Timeline Recession
Nov 1973 to Mar 1975 Jan 1980 to July 1980 July 1981 to Nov 1982 July 1990 to Mar 1991 Mar 2001 to Nov 2001 Dec 2007 to June 2009 Average of recessions

Number of quarters before recession:

              

8

 63.6 61.8 63.1 62.8 62 59.4 62.1

7

 62.8 61.6 63.0 62.7 61.8 59.0 61.8

6

 62.9 61.5 63.6 61.9 61.8 59.0 61.8

5

 63.2 62.8 63.9 61.7 63.9 59.6 62.5

4

 63.1 62.5 63.6 62.3 62.5 60.4 62.4

3

 63.2 62.7 62.3 62.4 63.4 59.7 62.3

2

 64.1 63.1 62.9 62.5 62.8 59.1 62.4

Expansion peak

 64.3 63.0 62.4 62.6 64.3 59.3 62.7

Start of recession

 64.4 63.6 62.9 63.1 63.1 60.2 62.9

Recession trough

 63.2 63.9 63.5 62.8 62.4 58.8 62.4

Start of expansion

 62.5 63.6 63.1 62.6 61.4 58.3 61.9

Number of quarters after recession:

              

2

 61.9 62.3 62.1 62.5 61.6 57.9 61.4

3

 62.0 62.9 61.2 62.7 61.2 57.0 61.2

4

 61.5 62.4 61.2 63.0 61.3 57.2 61.1

5

 61.4 62.9 61.6 62.7 60.8 57.0 61.1

6

 61.7 64.1 61.3 62.6 61.0 56.7 61.2

7

 61.7 63.8 61.4 62.2 60.3 58.1 61.3

8

 61.6 63.9 61.5 61.8 60.5 57.2 61.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.